The Bulls fired coach Tom Thibodeau on Thursday despite two years and roughly $9 million remaining on his deal, with general manager Gar Forman citing a need for "a culture of communication that builds a trust throughout this organization."

A telling moment during an afternoon “Goodbye, Thibs” news conference at the United Center came when Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson summarized the reasoning behind Thibodeau’s dismissal as Forman, sitting to his left, nodded in agreement.

“You have to have a situation where you are all pulling in the same direction,” Paxson said. “Once that stops, it’s very difficult to move forward.”

Seconds later, Paxson added: “We probably wouldn’t be sitting here if we won a championship” – a nod to the realities of pro sports: No matter how difficult a player or coach is to work with, winning cures all.

But the Bulls didn’t win in the postseason under Thibodeau, who was removed Thursday after five seasons. The team’s performance in the second-round loss to the Cavaliers was particularly galling, given that Cleveland played without Kevin Love and with a hobbled Kyrie Irving.

"We were all really disappointed in the way the season ended," Paxson said. "Cleveland is a great team and they're in the Finals. But we felt like, given their injuries, the path was there for us if we could have seized it."

Forman said that Bulls management “dug deep” before coming to a decision Wednesday night and informing Thibodeau on Thursday morning.

They considered the team’s overall performance, exit interviews with players, Thibodeau’s reluctance to adhere to minutes restrictions and, perhaps most significantly, the coach’s personality, which turned off numerous facets of the organization.

“Relationships are difficult,” Paxson said. “But there has to be a situation with open dialogue, where there are no barriers. You should be able to ask any question, push the envelope. That’s what relationships should be about. Obviously there was a breakdown.”

Forman said the search for Thibodeau’s replacement will end “when we find the right guy ... whether that’s a day, a week, a month or two months.”

Several sources believe the search essentially already has ended, and that Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg will get the job.

Of the criteria, Forman said: “We’re not going to put ourselves in a box and say: 'Had to have been a head coach, had to have been an assistant, what level they coached on.' We are going to look for the right fit, someone that can lead, someone that can communicate at a high level and has a great knowledge of the game. Experience is a plus. If they have been a head coach, ever more so.”

In a statement using uncharacteristically strong language, Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said: “The Chicago Bulls have a history of achieving great success on and off the court. These accomplishments have been possible because of an organizational culture where input from all parts of the organization has been welcomed and valued, there has been a willingness to participate in a free flow of information, and there have been clear and consistent goals.

"While the head of each department of the organization must be free to make final decisions regarding his department, there must be free and open interdepartmental discussion and consideration of everyone's ideas and opinions. These internal discussions must not be considered an invasion of turf, and must remain private. Teams that consistently perform at the highest levels are able to come together and be unified across the organization-staff, players, coaches, management and ownership. When everyone is on the same page, trust develops and teams can grow and succeed together. Unfortunately, there has been a departure from this culture.

"To ensure that the Chicago Bulls can continue to grow and succeed, we have decided that a change in the head coaching position is required. Days like today are difficult, but necessary for us to achieve our goals and fulfill our commitments to our fans. I appreciate the contributions that Tom Thibodeau made to the Bulls organization. I have always respected his love of the game and wish him well in the future.”

Thibodeau also issued a statement late Thursday afternoon:

"I want to thank, and will deeply miss, our incredible fans and the entire city of Chicago. I also want to thank my staff and all of the talented players and their wonderful families who have honored me and the Bulls by their effort, love, dedication and professionalism. I appreciate the opportunity that Jerry Reinsdorf gave me. We are proud of our many accomplishments, fought through adversity, and tried to give our fans the full commitment to excellence they deserve. I love this game and am excited about what’s ahead for me with USA Basketball and the next coaching opportunity in the NBA."

Forman said the Bulls were not looking to obtain draft picks from other teams in exchange for Thibodeau or using the situation as a "leverage ploy."

"When we make a decision like this, which is a major decision, trying to acquire a second-round pick or some kind of asset like that is no factor at all," Forman said.

Forman confirmed that the Bulls received no calls from teams seeking permission to speak to Thibodeau, adding that if they had, permission would have been granted.

Forman said assistant coach and Thibodeau ally Andy Greer also was dismissed, but that the fate of the other members of Thibodeau's staff would be determined by the next coach.

Former Bulls star Scottie Pippen endorsed the decision, tweeting that "to me it was a move made to try and ensure the team can move forward and ultimately get to the next level. Thibs had the Bulls moving in the right direction initially but things changed. A different leader on the sidelines became necessary. I've got confidence in Pax and Gar. They will bring in a new coach who will fit the culture and help the Bulls grow and improve."

President Barack Obama weighed in on the firing on his Twitter account (@POTUS), tweeting: "love thibs and think he did a great job. Sorry to see him go but expect he will be snatched up soon by another team."

Thibodeau won Coach of the Year honors in his first season in 2010-11 and went 255-139 for a .647 regular-season winning percentage in his five seasons, becoming the fastest coach to 100 victories in NBA history.

But Thibodeau’s teams also went 23-28 in the playoffs and never topped reaching the 2011 Eastern Conference finals in his first season.

Thibodeau didn’t have Derrick Rose for playoff runs from 2012-14, and injuries will partially define his tenure, as will the greatness of LeBron James, whose teams eliminated the Bulls three times in Thibodeau’s five seasons.

The Bulls hired Thibodeau from Boston, where he served as Doc Rivers’ associate head coach in charge of the defense during two trips to the NBA Finals and one title in three seasons. The assistant for nearly two decades had carried the label of being married to basketball with questions about his ability to relate to players.

Thibodeau’s relentless attention to detail and repetitive practices quickly organized and focused the Bulls after Vinny Del Negro’s two-season stint in charge. Rose became the youngest most valuable player in NBA history in Thibodeau’s first season. Luol Deng blossomed into a two-time All-Star. Joakim Noah later won a Defensive Player of the Year award and earned first-team All-NBA center status in 2013-14. Jimmy Butler won the league’s Most Improved Player award this season.

But Thibodeau’s style also raised questions of burnout, both mentally and physically. Deng and later Butler led the NBA in minutes per game. Shootarounds upwards of 75 minutes were the norm in his first season before he dialed back.

The first public signs of trouble between Thibodeau and management came when Thibodeau took months to sign a contract extension that Forman announced in October 2012 at the media-day event opening training camp. Thibodeau initially blamed the delay on lawyer issues; however, sources later said he was upset over management’s personnel moves that involved losing Kyle Korver and Omer Asik for nothing.

Although Forman’s decision not to renew lead assistant Ron Adams’ contract in the 2013 offseason created widespread speculation of the feud furthering, sources said Thibodeau’s passive approach to the firing meant it didn’t play a major part. Although Thibodeau didn’t want to see Adams let go, he also did nothing to stop the rare move of management going over the coach’s head to dismiss a lead assistant.

The 2014-15 season is when the long-simmering tension between the two sides boiled over with major philosophical differences.

With Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah coming off knee surgeries, management imposed minute limitations on those two players and a consecutive-minute limitation on Kirk Hinrich. Thibodeau, who often says championship habits are built through practice and repetition, bristled over the policy from the start.

Then came a January episode when ESPN broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy, who hired Thibodeau for his Knicks’ and Rockets’ staffs, said on a national broadcast that Bulls’ management undermines coaches. Multiple sources said the Van Gundy incident upset Reinsdorf, who had served as an occasional oasis for Thibodeau in his stormy relationship with management. Reinsdorf, the sources said, discussed the incident with Thibodeau.

Both the Pelicans and Magic could show interest in Thibodeau now that he is free from the Bulls, but sources said Scott Skiles remains the front-runner in Orlando.